1980s Female Officers' Issue Truncheons ('Doodah Thing') (Inadequate Self-Defense Tools)

Small (6–7 inches), officially issued truncheons given to female officers in the 1980s as self-defense weapons, but deemed so inadequate that Joyce mocks them as resembling a vibrator. The truncheons were the original tools supposed to be issued, but their size rendered them useless, symbolizing institutional under-equipping.

1 appearances

Purpose

Self-defense weapon for police officers

Significance

Embodies institutional sexism that handicapped early female officers like Catherine and Joyce, fueling their dark humor and outrage over harassment and under-equipment in a male-dominated force.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S2E5 · Happy Valley S02E05

Catherine and Joyce Reveal Sexist Policing Past

The ‘doodah things’—the tiny truncheons issued to female officers—are brought to life through Joyce’s physical demonstration, her hands spreading to mimic their inadequate six or seven inches. Catherine’s comparison to a ‘vibrator’ adds a layer of dark humor, highlighting the absurdity of equipping women with weapons that were effectively useless. The truncheons are never physically present but are vividly described, serving as a counterpoint to the handbags and reinforcing the narrative of institutional neglect. Their mention underscores the force’s refusal to treat female officers as equals, forcing them to rely on improvised defenses like bricks in handbags.

Before: Symbolically ‘carried’ by Joyce’s gesture, representing the era’s sexist policies. Physically, these truncheons were standard issue for female officers in the 1980s, though none are present in the restaurant.

After: The truncheons remain a symbolic failure of the institution, their mention serving as a dark joke that masks deeper outrage. Their absence in the present highlights how the force’s attitudes toward female officers have—or haven’t—evolved.

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